The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-03-16
THE DEAD PREACHER.
Last Sad Rites Over the Remains of
Mr.. Beecher.
REV. DR.. HALLS ELOQUENT
EULOCY.

NEW YoKk March l0.-The body of Hen
/ m Ward Beecher lies in state in the church
! which his pulpit oratory made famous II
viii remain there until tomorrow night,
I when the doors are to be closed and the pub
I lie display ended. The interment al Green
7 wood on saturday morning will be private.
T and there viii be no ceremonies Of any kind.
In the meantime however, thousands after
thousands are rrowding about the bier on
which Mr. Beechers remains lie in the midst
of perfect bower of beautiful flowers and
roses. The walls of Plymouth Church are
almost hidden from sight with these floral
offerings 10 the memory Of it, dead preacher,
and everywhere one sec. emblems of peace
a. Mr. Beecher desired. instead the funer-
al gloom that usually pervades on such oc-
ca,ious
Not an inch of black j. TO be seen inside
the church Even the sombre drapings of
the coffin are hidden underneath roses and
ferns The four walls the galleries. organ
and pulpit are one mass of green, white and
ruse tints No change has been made in the
furniture Of the church exeeptthe removal Of
the pew directly in front of the reading desk
at which Mr. Beecher was accustomed to
stand Here the black catafalque was placed
ed.
The family services over Mr. Beecher's re
mains were held in the house at half-pa~.
preacher attended The Rev pr Hall. in
full Episcopal canonicals, conducted the SER
vices He preceded il with a short address,
IN which he said
our beloved brother. whose face we nov
See almost for the last time. was a man of
the people a Republican of Republicans. a
Democrat of Democrats a man Of the COM
mon people. There was no man in all this
wide continent who was 80 dear to my heart
a~ he who lies dead before me. There was
uo man whom have ever met or heard Of
or whose works | have ever read who inn
pressed me SO deeply with the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit lie was man OF men the
most manly man ever met, but he was also
% man Of God in pre-eminent sense of the
word His utterances were often said by
those who heard him to have come from
great, ovcrfiowing fountanous heart, but
believe the source was even deeper than that
They come from a great soul
The piercing vision Of his inspiration SAW
through the wells which creeds pat on. and
what that vision SAW the tongue uttered; it
was thr truth, the great truth of the ~ at
l"ye OF God which other preachers would
flin have limited | first me, the great man,
whom we have gathered here la honor for
ths last time ou earth, in those trying days
which preceded and came Immediately after
the opening of the war / found him the
sturdy champion of union and freedom Of
the slaves, the foe of rebellion; and vet i'm
mcdiately after the close of the war | found
him in a new character-the staunch friend
of the defeated South.
loved and revered this man more than
any other on the face of the earth Spiritu-
ally ! owed more 70 him than any other |
was specially drawn toward him because
hate shame. and believe that politeness,
though all very well in its way, Is often too
full Of iu~incerity Mr. Becchcr was there
fore beloved Of especially me- because he was
man Of transparent sincerity Why hc
loved me 10 not know Why love him
all meu who ever knew him viii under
stand
THE uOErECE PASsI< To THE CHURCH
While the quartettc sang Jesus Lover of
nv Soul" the coffin was carried from the
house by eight IaIl-hearers. outside the 18th
Regiment WAS drawn up To escort the hearse
@" Plymouth Chuuh. An immense crowd
of people stood along the route. and the po-
lice had their hands full i'm keeping them in
line. Company 6 was the guard Of honor at
luc church. into which the casket was car
rirl a. Bcethoven'S Funeral March was
played on the organ Henry Ward Brccher
IT, grandson Of the preacher. walked i'm
mc..iatcly behind the casket He was the
only relative present After the coffin lid
vas removed the 18th Regiment viewed the
mains and the public were then admitted
They filed past the coffin in twos and the
line was continuous throughout the after
noon.
THE LYING ~ STATE.
During the evening the crowd increased